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_ . 'i ` III III III III IIII III 1 • STATE OF COLORADO RIGR ARDO LAtdAt Go~ 999 y DE PARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES i ~ s D. Monte Pascoe. Executive Director MINED LAND RECLAMATION ~~~~~ 423 Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman Street ~- Denver, Colorado 80203 Tel. (303) 866-3557 David C. Shelton Director January 4, 1982 Mr. Don Aldrich Otero County Engineer and Land Use Administrator P. O. Box 511 La Junta, Colorado 81050 Dear Mr. Aldrich: J I have received your letter with the enclosed responses to my remaining vegetation and soils concerns from the Soil Conservation Service. I have reviewed the responses and find them to be generally satisfactory, especially as concerns the soils to be used in reclamation and the recommendation for shrub plantings for wildlife. I feel that I .should clarify the position of our Division concerning the reclamation seed mixture for the site. Rule 6.Sa of the Rules and Regulations of the Mined Land Reclamation Board states: "In those areas cohere revegetation is part of the reclamation plan, land s1ra11 be revegetated in such a way as to establish a diverse, effective, and long-lasting vegetative cover that is capable of self-regeneration without continued dependence on irrigation, soil amendments or fertilizer, and is at least equal in extent of corer to the natural vegetation of the surrounding area. Except for certain post-mining land uses approved by the Board, the use of species native to the region shall be emphasized. Greater emphasis on non-native species may be proposed for in- tensively managed forestry and range uses." The experience of our Division is that the incorporation of art appropriate leryume in small amounts in the seed mix is necessary for long-term soil fertility witbout the necessity of repeated fertilization. This, of course, contributes to the e.stahlishment of a vegetative cover as described above. Furthermore, our experience has shown that early incorporation of diversity by means of the addition of appropriate natives (such as, in this case, sand dropseed) allows the performance standard quoted above to be met more quickly and easily. Our Division does not, however, wish to dictate the composition of a seed mixture to Otero County. This mixture is yours to commit to. Please be advised, however, that the performance standard for revegetation referenced above will have to be met before Otero County will be released of its responsibility for the revegetation of this site.